Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi previously defended travelling abroad without his family

Princess Beatrice's husband has said family is his "biggest luxury" after receiving months of scrutiny.

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, the chief executive of bespoke property development and interior design firm Banda Property, was among the guests at the Gentleman's Journal Long Summer Lunch, held at Blenheim Palace.

The event saw Mr Mapelli Mozzi sit down for a quick-fire Q&A covering his tastes, lifestyle and the influences that have shaped his career, and, notably, he mentioned his "family" three times.

The magazine framed the conversation as part of a broader series of interviews with figures leading their respective industries.

"We asked Edo Mapelli Mozzi, chief executive of bespoke property development and interior design firm Banda Property, a few questions on life, style, and the people and places that matter to him," the publication said.

The lunch took place in the Palace's Italian Gardens, with guests seated along a vast table bathed in sunlight.

Asked what constitutes his "biggest luxury", he replied: "Experiences, travel and time with family." His ideal holiday, similarly, centres on "getting off the beaten track, disconnecting from emails and news, and spending time with my family."

Relaxation, he said, comes down to "time with family and friends."

The remarks come after Mr Mapelli Mozzi faced scrutiny over a series of overseas work trips without Princess Beatrice earlier this year.

In January, the property developer spent three weeks travelling across Los Angeles and Palm Beach, Florida, on business before returning to the US in March to work on the exclusive Fisher Island, prompting criticism over the amount of time he was spending away from his family.

This also coincided with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Beatrice's father, being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and subsequently being released under investigation. Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has consistently denied any wrongdoing.

Addressing the backlash in a rare statement to the Mail, Mr Mapelli Mozzi defended the travel as a business necessity, saying: "As you well know, it is completely normal for a business owner to travel for work. It happens in every industry." He maintained that the trips were essential for running his property firm, Banda Property.

Elsewhere in the interview, Mr Mapelli Mozzi was asked to name the finest restaurant in the world; he chose "Lo Scoglio da Tommaso, a family-run seaside favourite on the Amalfi coast." His preferred hotel was "Kisawa Sanctuary, Mozambique," while the city he said he never tyres of visiting is "London."

On matters of style, he singled out Savile Row tailor Huntsman, describing it as "timelessly elegant Savile Row tailoring at its best." The most recent purchase he was pleased with was "Baudoin & Lange shoes."

When it came to the most meaningful gift he has received, Mr Mapelli Mozzi pointed to a pair of cufflinks inherited from his late father. "I wear them and remember him," he said.

For those entering the property world, his counsel was straightforward: "Work for someone else."

The figure he most admires professionally is his mother. "She inspired us and worked 24/7 to educate her kids," he said.

Mr Mapelli Mozzi described his outlook with a phrase he said he lives by: "My glass is always half full and I always see the positives in others."

He also recommended Adam Grant's Think Again as "the book everyone should read before they die."

Several guests arrived by helicopter, with Jordan Barrett, Jeremy Irvine, Joe Kennedy and Carl Ross among those flown in by Castle Air. Others were driven from London in a fleet of Range Rovers.

The guest list also included George Blandford, Sean Teale, Darnell Strom, Oli Cheshire, Isaac Hudson, Sam Way, Callum Mullin and Rueben Larkin.